I'm In
by SailorEevee
Summary: Two friends make a bet over a pretty girl in the course of a game of Pai-Sho. But is Sozin the stud that he claims, or does Roku have one more twist up his sleeve? Roku/Sozin, done for Avatar Slash Swap on LJ


Title: I'm In

Pairing: Rozin (Roku/Sozin)

Rating: PG for suggestive hip movements

Wordcount: 1,558

"Your Father's really laying on the pressure, isn't he?" teased Roku as he beat the Prince at Pai Sho for the fifth time. "I mean, he's practically forcing you to go on a date with this girl by setting it up this way. I bet she's ugly as-"he was cut off by a pai-sho tile lazily flicked at his head.

"Are you kidding? My father would never permit an ugly Fire Lady," snorted Prince Sozin, grinning at his friend. "Besides, it's not like he can really make me do anything with her. I wouldn't be insulting her family or anything if I rejected her, and I certainly have no intention of marrying anyone right now."

Roku smiled, a bit more broadly than Sozin expected. "Good. I'd hate to lose you to some girl," he said.

"Oh? What am I supposed to do when Ta Min finally notices you?" Sozin replied, rolling his eyes at the other boy.

"That's different! If you got married now, even betrothed, you'd have to actually act like the Heir. Your father would make you start going to all his meetings with ministers, or dinners with your betrothed or with her family. I'd never see you again."

"Now you're just being ridiculous. I don't have to act like the Heir unless I choose to or something happens to my father. And neither has any chance of happening right now. Look, if it makes you feel better, I promise I won't try to overwhelm her with my charm."

"Psh, what charm? You're the Prince. They're all interested in you because they want power. Or their families do."

"Hey, why should I try to mess with what the universe has given me? I have to go along with it," Sozin said, flicking another tile at Roku from across the table. The other boy just shook his head. "If you keep acting like this, you'll end up being an unmarried old geezer for the rest of your life."

"An unmarried old geezer who's going to be harassing his old geezer best friend for the rest of his life," Sozin corrected. "Don't think you'll be getting out of this, Roku. If I'm going to have a miserable life, you're going down with me. Besides, I'll be the Fire Lord. Every woman in the Fire Nation wants to be with me."

Sozin's friend had a strange look in his eyes. "Want to bet?" he challenged, an odd expression on his face.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that girl better be head over heels in love with you after your dinner tonight, or you'll owe me five gold pieces and a palanquin ride."

"And if I lose?" Sozin replied, his mouth twisting into a determined frown.

"If you win, I'll get you five gold pieces and..oh, anything you want from me," Roku added, grinning. _That _certainly got Sozin's attention.

"Anything? Just for making this girl fall head over heels in love with me? That's a stupid bet for you to make, Roku," Sozin replied. "I'm in." His friend just nodded and shook the Prince's hand. "Great, Roku said, that odd look in his eyes returning. "But I wouldn't expect it to be so easy if I were you." Sozin looked at his friend curiously. "And what's that supposed to mean?" Roku just shrugged and grinned.

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The girl was pretty enough, Sozin decided as he entered the garden, escorted by his two personal guards and chaperones (there for the girl's sake, he was sure). His father had certainly chosen a typical Fire Nation noble girl, all pale skin and bright eyes and nervous glances, but the Prince wasn't really paying attention. It took a nervous cough and a tap on the table to draw Sozin's eyes back towards the nervous girl sitting across from him. "Are you alright, my prince?" she asked, her eyes downcast but glancing up from time to time in concern.

"Yeah..yeah, I'm fine," The Prince murmured, trying to ignore his paranoia. "Um..you certainly look wonderful tonight.." he paused, struggling with her name.

"Zhi," she replied helpfully. "And it's an honor to finally meet you, Prince Sozin. I never thought I would be permitted to speak to a member of the Royal Family, much less dine with one."

"Oh, well, the pleasure's all mine," Sozin said awkwardly, finally relaxing as the servants filed in to present the first course. Perhaps nothing was going to happen after all..at least the prince thought so before he felt a hand brush his bare arm. Dreading the outcome but looking up anyway, Sozin scowled as his friend winked at him before running back to his place against the garden wall. The Prince almost flipped the table over in his anger. Zhi pretended not to notice.

Sozin tried again to force the incident out of his mind, to ignore the idiot who was just standing there watching them. No such luck, as Roku moved just ever so slightly..then kept doing it. Sozin's face was bright red after the third rock of the other boy's hips, so much so that Zhi was touching his hand in worry. "Forgive me, my Prince, but maybe you should eat something?" she said demurely. Sozin forced his face into a neutral expression. "Yes..that would probably help. I..uh, think it's the heat," he said, rubbing the back of his head. The girl just smiled awkwardly, unaware of the Fire Nation boy snickering behind her.

The dinner proceeded in a similar fashion. The Prince would smile, Zhi would blush, and Roku would tip a glass over. Sozin would offer her the finest piece of fruit on the plate, Zhi would take it, as delicately as a proper Fire Nation lady ought, and Roku would knock Sozin's chair, forcing him to drop the fruit. It only took a few more incidents before the Prince had had it, rising from the table with a mutterd "I'm sorry," to Zhi before storming off deep into the palace halls. Zhi got up to follow him, but paused as she saw the long haired servant boy following instead. She frowned, knowing that whatever was going on, she really didn't want to be a part of it.

--------------

"Sozin! What are you doing? You almost had her!" Roku cried, the echoing sound of his voice causing the Prince in front of him to stop in his tracks.

"What am I doing? What were you doing? How the hell was I supposed to do anything while you kept poking me, or knocking shit over? That wasn't part of the bet," Sozin seethed, turning on his friend. "And that..hip stuff was too much.,"

"Hey, you never said anything about trying to distract you. What I don't understand is why you're so mad about it!" Roku answered, his anger rising. "I wasn't doing anything you wouldn't do."

"Right. I would stand there and rock my hips like a drunk idiot while there was a noblewoman at the table. That's exactly what I would do," Sozin said, glaring at his friend. "In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were really worried I'd like this girl," he added, suspicion creeping into his voice.

Roku stepped back, a faint blush on his cheeks. "That's..that's not it at all," he said, his tone too weak to be convincing.

Sozin's eyes narrowed. "Roku. What was the point of all this? You've been acting strange since we were playing Pai Sho."

Roku just frowned and turned away. "I really don't want you to start acting like the heir," he said slowly. "I don't want to lose you to your father, or some simpering girl," he continued, leaning closer to the Prince. Sozin was too shocked by the confession to move. "Maybe I thought that..I could keep you to myself a little longer," he added, leaning just forward enough to brush Sozin's lips with his own.

The Prince jerked away, the spell broking by the slight contact of skin. "What are you doing?" Sozin said, eyes wide but voice far less harsh than Roku expected. The other man's eyes turned downward. "I'm not sure," he admitted. Sozin felt his heart flutter. "Um, if I promise never to tell anyone…could you do it again?" the Prince asked quietly. Roku jerked backwards in shock. "If you..ah, really want to," he stuttered. They closed the distance between them again, Sozin hesitating before he leaned forward to kiss his friend, for real this time, at least until the other boy broke out into a huge grin.

"Even though you're not supposed to be asking me anything. You lost the bet, remember?" the long haired boy said, earning himself a shove from the enraged Fire Prince. "But I never did say that you couldn't come with me on the Palanquin ride!" Roku called hurriedly, once again chasing after the retreating back of his friend.

"Roku?" Sozin asked as he walked away.

"Yes?"

"Go jump into a volcano."

Roku stopped in his tracks and sighed, almost kicking himself in his failure, until a soft cough caught his attention. Sozin had stopped, choosing to lean against a doorway. "Win two games of Pai Sho out of three and you'll get another kiss," the boy teased. Roku felt his cheeks growing warm. "I'm in," he said, drawing a full and decidedly unFire Lord-like smile to the Prince's face.


End file.
